Breathy Heartbreak, Clever But Never Snide

Almost every song on Jennifer O'Connor's impressive Matador debut is as heartbreaking as the next. "I don't want to breathe if I can't breathe here next to you," she sings over shuffling drumbeats and a beautifully fingerpicked guitar line on "Dirty City Blues." A few tracks later on "Today," her gorgeous vocals lilt and soar as she carefully delivers her most longing lyrics: "I can't wait to be with you/If only to say/Stay." But as sad as Over the Mountain is, it's never oppressive: O'Connor tries her best to grin through the tears on the poppy, Monkees-esque "Exeter, Rhode Island," and the rapturous "I'll Bring You Home," complete with a chorus of angelic-sounding backup singers, even brushes against optimism. As for her overall sound, the closest comparisons might be an equally clever but less snide Eef Barzelay, or an Exile in Guyvilleera Liz Phair folking around with Jana Hunter. But whatever it is, this is one of the best albums of the year.